All true tea comes from one
species of plant, Camellia sinensis,
an evergreen bush that grows in tropical and subtropical climates. The Chinese
claim the first cultivated tea plant, about 3,200 years ago and a Chinese
legend claims the discovery of tea over 4,700 years ago. Even in ancient times
it was claimed as a cure for a variety of illnesses and medical conditions.

Black tea was an expensive
commodity for thousands of years, and was compressed into bricks to be shipped
throughout China and used in trade. At one time it became a kind of currency in
other Asian countries trading with China.

Besides China, tea is has a long
history of growth and cultivation in India and Sri Lanka (formerly Ceylon, as
the type of tea is still called). It is also grown in Kenya, Turkey, Indonesia,
Thailand and Taiwan.

Tea was originally very expensive
when introduced to western Europe at the end the 17th century, but
by the middle of the 18th century is was almost universal,
especially in Britain. It was believed to have health properties then too, and
the used leaves were even consumed with butter on toast. The earliest tea in
Europe was green, and occasionally fermented, but black tea didn't become
universal until the 19th century.

Different kinds of tea are made by
using different processing methods, different parts of the leaf, and different
harvesting times. The minute the leaf is picked it begins to oxidize. When this
happens the chlorophyll releases tannins, which make the flavor stronger. This
can be stopped by heating the leaves. The flavor of the tea can be further
controlled by the length of time the leaves are allowed to oxidize, whether or
not they're allowed to wilt before processing, and whether or not they're
bruised, like mint leaves in iced tea, to make the flavor stronger.

Types of tea

• White tea is made from the smallest tip of the leaves, and is the
most minimally processed of all teas. It is allowed to wilt slightly which
makes it taste less grass-like. When brewed, the liquid can retain tiny hairs
which float on the surface. It has the same health benefits as green tea
(below). White tea has a long tradition of use in China and is graded into at
least five categories, partly depending on variety and when it is harvested.
Additionally, white tea is often brewed several times (3 is best) in China, allowing
more time for each additional brewing. It is essential not to pour boiling
water onto white tea leaves as this makes it bitter. The water should be about
180 °F.

• Green tea is made from leaves that have not been allowed to wilt or
oxidize. Because of its minimal processing, green tea possesses the highest
concentration of beneficial compounds like polyphenols (see below). Gunpowder
tea is a Chinese variety of green tea where the leaves are rolled into pellets
to protect them from damage and preserve their aroma. Gunpowder is the variety
used to make Moroccan/ North African mint tea.

• Oolong is made from partially oxidized leaves that have been
allowed to wilt and then bruised. Its oxidation puts it roughly between green
and black tea in strength and characteristics. There are 6 to 8 varieties, all
processed slightly differently and with different flavors. Some varieties of
oolong are roasted and some are aged. One really important characteristic of
oolong is that multiple brews can be made from the same leaves, which often
improve in flavor and aroma. This is the type of tea that most Chinese
restaurants use.

• Black tea is made from leaves that have been allowed to wilt, are
fully oxidized, and usually crushed. In China black tea is called Crimson tea
because of the actual color. In east Asia, especially in Thailand, black tea is
called red tea. Black tea is classed
in four categories:

•
whole leaf, which is made from whole leaves and some tips

•
broken leaves, considered the second grade, often sold as loose tea

•
fannings, the loose fragments of leaves left over after processing the above
types

• dust,
the smallest particles left after processing everything else and used
mostly in tea bags because the
particles make a fast, strong cup of tea

• Red tea is also the name for a non-tea product made from the
Rooibos plant, native to South Africa. It is also called South African red tea
(see section on Herbal Infusions).
Like tea, it contains antioxidants, but doesn't have caffeine. In traditional
medicine in South Africa it is used to treat skin problems, indigestion and
allergies.

• Herbal teas are not really tea at all because they're not made with
leaves from the Camellia sinensis plant, but are infusions made from various
plants often with long histories of folk remedy use. (See section on HerbalInfusions.) They are often made with other parts of the plant
besides the leaves, including seeds, roots, stems, berries and flowers.

General characteristics

• The caffeine level of tea
depends on the type, but tea has more caffeine than coffee if judged by weight;
however much less tea is used than coffee when making a cup, which ends up
meaning that drinking tea gives you less caffeine

• Tea also has a small amount of
theobromine, a stimulant similar in nature to caffeine and also found in the
cocoa bean

• The polyphenols and other
beneficial compounds in tea are released by the heat of the water used to make
tea (see Preparation below)

Blends and additions

• Many commercially marketed teas
are blended, some at the place where they are grown, and others by importers.
This keeps certain brands consistent by controlling strength and flavor as well
as aroma.

• Additives can change the flavor
of tea mildly or very strongly; for example, the addition of bergamot makes
what is called Earl Gray; also jasmine is often added to green tea.

• Chai in North America refers to
a spiced black tea, but in many other countries it is the word for tea. This is
also true in some European countries where chai is used as an alternate or
slang word for tea.

Beneficial properties

• As a rough guide, steamed and
less-processed teas like green and white have more epigallocatechin gallate (EGCG)
and other catechins, while dried, fermented and roasted teas like black tea,
have more polyphenols like theaflavins and thearubigens.

• Recent research suggests that a
compound in all tea, epigallocatechin gallate (EGCG), works with enzymes that control cell growth to hinder and
sometimes stop certain types of cancer.
It does this by controlling an enzyme that allows cancer cells to develop. EGCG
is most concentrated in green tea because it is oxidized when black and other
teas are processed. However, milk proteins attach to EGCG and stop it from
having any effect.

• Research suggests that compounds
found in black tea like theaflavins and thearubigens, both polyphenols with
antioxidant properties that are created by the fermentation process, are
equally beneficial. Studies suggest that theaflavins and thearubigens have an anti- dementia effect as well as
interfering with HIV replication.

• A Dutch study suggested that men
who drank black tea were at a lower risk for stroke, but significant protection came from drinking more than 4
cups a day.

• A study at the Boston School of
Medicine showed that black tea also improved blood vessels.

• Research indicates that green
tea protects a molecule called the aryl hydrocarbon receptor (AH) which, when interfered
with by toxins from tobacco smoke and other sources, initiates cancer growth.

• Green tea is especially high in
certain polyphenols, of which flavonoids are one type. They are thought to be
effective against gastrointestinal tract
disorders including colon cancer, as well as having antimicrobial
properties.

• Studies suggest that green tea
is strong enough to kill the bacteria that cause tooth decay as well as some of the bacteria that cause food
poisoning.

• The National Cancer Institute
published a study in 1994 showing that green tea reduced the risk of esophageal cancer in a study done in
China.

• Other research shows that the
polyphenols in green tea can reduce LDL cholesterol.

• Many of the health benefits have
been noted in people who consume large amounts of green tea on a daily basis,
but it is important to note the amount of caffeine in large doses of any tea.

• A study done at Boston
University (2001) suggested that drinking black tea can reverse vein shrinkage
in people with coronary artery disease.

• All tea has flavonoids, a type
of polyphenol, which are strong antioxidants.
Some researchers believe that these antioxidants, again most concentrated in
green tea, are stronger than those in garlic and broccoli, and stronger than beta-carotene.

• It is possible that these
flavonoids also protect DNA from
damage by free radicals, and inhibit
tumor growth.

• One flavanoid, catechin, is most
concentrated in white and green teas.

• Tea also contains theanine, an amino acid derivative that
helps reduce stress, both mental and
physical, usually in conjunction with caffeine, and also has been shown to
increase dopamine levels in the
brain.

• Some research has suggested that
the theanine in tea might also reduce the harmful effects of free radicals
caused by glutamate, an excitotoxin.

• Another study suggests that
theanine may also boost the immune
system by increasing the strength of the white blood cells that fight infection.

• Green tea has been suggested as
treatment for rheumatoid arthritis.

• Tea contains vitamins C, E and K

• Decaffeinated tea loses some of the polyphenols that make it
healthy, but it depends on the process that is used. Chemical treatment by
ethyl acetate destroys about 70% of the polyphenols, whereas a slower process
called effervescence, involving water and carbon dioxide, keeps over 95%. If
using a decaffeinated green tea for health reasons, make sure the product
you're using is not chemically treated.

Preparation: making tea

For thousands of years it has been
brewed in basically the same way, with boiling or very hot water. This creates
what is referred to as the liquor, which is the basis for all other forms of
tea used as a beverage. Herbal teas are not teas at all, but infusions of
herbs, often with spices, and are an important source of natural remedies in
their own right.

• Heat releases the compounds that
make tea beneficial, so boiling water is essential (except for white tea).

• Tea is universally understood to
be served hot, as it has been for several thousand years, and is only qualified
when something is done later, for example adding ice to make iced tea.
Ready-made mixes for iced tea require so much processing that the health
benefits have been reduced considerably, so it is best to make real tea
correctly and then ice it after it cools.

• The quality of the tea
determines the length of time it should steep: high quality teas will only
release their complex flavors when steeped 8 to 12 minutes, depending on type,
and will not become bitter (because of tannins) or over-caffeinated. Lesser
quality teas need 1 to 3 minutes and will develop bitterness and high caffeine
concentrations quickly.

• Milk proteins, like casein,
attach to EGCG (see above) and almost stop the beneficial effects completely,
so if you're drinking any kind of tea for health reasons don't use milk or
dairy-based substitutes.

• Sun tea, made by putting tea
bags or leaves in a glass container in direct sunlight, does not achieve the
correct temperature to fully release the polyphenols and other compounds that
give tea its healthy properties. It also does not get hot enough to kill
bacteria that is sometimes present in water.

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